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The differences between junior software engineers and software developers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a junior software engineer and a software developer. Additionally, a software developer has an average salary of $87,521, which is higher than the $77,904 average annual salary of a junior software engineer.
The top three skills for a junior software engineer include java, C++ and python. The most important skills for a software developer are java, python, and C++.
| Junior Software Engineer | Software Developer | |
| Yearly salary | $77,904 | $87,521 |
| Hourly rate | $37.45 | $42.08 |
| Growth rate | 21% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 288,448 | 294,329 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 77% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
The role of junior software engineers is to aid and support with software design and computer coding. As a software developer, you are expected to attend and contribute to company meetings, learn the codebase and improve your coding skills, and monitor the technical performance of systems. Other duties include responding to the development team's requests, preparing reports, and performing development tests. Most employers prefer to hire someone with a bachelor's degree in computer science, in-depth knowledge of coding languages such as JavaScript and HTML5, and previous work experience.
A software developer is responsible for designing application systems to support the user and business' needs. Duties of a software developer include testing software codes, performing diagnostic programs and troubleshooting, interpreting system data and establishing efficient parameters, and ensuring the compatibility of the systems. A software developer must have an excellent knowledge of computer programs and programming languages to understand its complexities, especially on detecting system defects and malfunctions. A software developer must have strong attention to detail, communication, and decision-making skills to coordinate with the team and also work independently under minimal supervision.
Junior software engineers and software developers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Junior Software Engineer | Software Developer | |
| Average salary | $77,904 | $87,521 |
| Salary range | Between $59,000 And $101,000 | Between $67,000 And $113,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Connecticut | California |
| Best paying company | Apple | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Finance |
There are a few differences between a junior software engineer and a software developer in terms of educational background:
| Junior Software Engineer | Software Developer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 77% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Harvard University | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between junior software engineers' and software developers' demographics:
| Junior Software Engineer | Software Developer | |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 74.6% Female, 25.4% | Male, 79.3% Female, 20.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.6% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.3% Asian, 29.8% White, 52.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 4.5% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.2% Asian, 29.9% White, 52.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |